For such a savvy practitioner of the political game, Anthony Weiner has violated the cardinal rule of Washington crisis management: If you don't have anything to hide, don't behave like you do.

His less-than-forthcoming answers to the frenzy over a lewd photo have made matters worse for the congressman who aspires to be New York City's next mayor, raising fresh questions and fueling even more media scrutiny.

When a reporter asks if you've ever taken photos of your nether regions like the one purportedly hacked from Weiner's Twitter account, there's only one acceptable answer.

It conjures up memories of the feisty White House reporter who needled President Gerald Ford after an unusually evasive press conference answer by firing back: "I didn't hear a no."

Weiner compounded his predicament by calling a cable TV producer a jackass, reeling off a string of ill-advised, double-entendre wiener jokes and essentially reducing what he calls a "prank" to New York slapshtick.

The ever-loquacious Weiner has now opted for radio silence, clearly hoping this goes away in short order. Barring new disclosures, that's probably a reasonable bet.

There's always another juicier scandal or gaffe for reporters to chase.

He got some help Friday, for example, from disgraced ex-Sen. John Edwards, whose indictment helped push Weinermania to the periphery.

But the damage is done. Weiner - a spirited and eloquent spokesman for Democratic priorities - has been discredited for now. You can bet House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and other Democratic mandarins aren't anxious to include him in their next photo op.

Even his allies in the congressional delegation are suddenly looking at their shoes, just like they did with Charlie Rangel before his censure.

For the moment, Weiner's a punch line, an object of largely self-induced ridicule. And that presumes he's being evasive but truthful.